Be Free With You
by polliberri
Summary: Katniss's daughter is just like her, but is free-er. What happens when Gale comes back, and brings his son Elijah with him? Will these 2 clash, or become something more? *Flames to a minimum please :
1. Chapter 1

***First Hunger Games fanfic! Explanation is in the description, if I make any mistakes in the story line I apologize ahead of time. Credit to SilverLuna1997 for giving me this idea and helping me with the plot. I picture Katniss's daughter like, carefree and wild, but reserved and soft and caring, a mix of Peeta and Katniss(: ***

**Chapter 1: Welcome Home**

The day was warm and bright, shining over the trees and stretching over the meadow. The new and improved District 12 was blooming, underneath a new, fair Capitol. The new gardens with food have been supporting this new town for years, and it's been the most prosperous it's ever been in District 12. The population was about 300, increased from 235 right after the rebellion.

I was happily married to Peeta, with 2 children inside the Victor's House. Both of them had their own room. Eleanor, Ellie, was to the left, and Finn was to the right. It took me forever to agree, all I could think about was my children enduring what I had to, even though I knew they wouldn't have to. It was hard carrying Ellie, but it got easier, then I had Finn. Eleanor was Peeta's grandmother's name, and Finn was named after Finnick. Peeta has a bakery again, in the same spot as his family's old one. I hunt once a week, if I have time. Ellie wanted to learn how to shoot. At first, I was apprehensive, but I softened after a while. She wasn't a bad shot either.

So here we were, over 15 years after the rebellion, still living in Victor's Village. Peeta rarely has his trackerjacker moments, but very rarely he balls up his fists or grips his hands to his chair, breathing slowly and closing his eyes while I speak to him comfortingly. My nightmares are very sparing too, but whenever I have one he's always there, comforting me and holding me right away.

I got up and braided my hair, pulling on my worn skinny jeans and a long sleeve tunic, belted at the waist. I was still attached to my signature leather boots. When I finished, I heard clanging from the kitchen. Immediately I knew it was Peeta, cooking breakfast like he always does. I walked over to Ellie's room, "Come on, El, get up for school." I called through the door.

I walked to Finn's room and saw he was already up, quickly finishing his homework. "Finn, what did I tell you about finishing your homework BEFORE you sleep?" I sighed, leaning in the doorway.

"Sorry mom, I really wanted to help dad though!" he said, hurrying to finish the last problem.

"Well your father should have told you to do your homework earlier, but hurry up and finish so you can eat breakfast and get on your way to school." I finished, leaving the room.

When I got to the kitchen, Peeta was already at the stove, making scrambled eggs and setting out the goat cheese and buns with apples. That sadly reminded me of the arena, with a pang in my chest. Peeta looked up and smiled, "Morning, Katniss," he said, leaning across the table and giving me a kiss. Sparks still arched through my body and my stomach still got that hunger like it always has.

"Morning," I smiled.

"Gosh, guys, it's only 6:30 tone it down," laughed Ellie, who just made it downstairs. Her straight brown hair fell below her shoulder blades and just brushed her back. She insisted on cutting her own hair, so she had side swept bangs, which just covered the corner of her bright blue eyes, which sparkled just like Peeta's. People say she looked a lot like me, with her slightly olive/tanned skin, and hair, but I think she looks like Peeta with his smile and eyes. She acts like him too, with his humor and warmth. Needless to say, she hasn't given us many problems, but some.

"Alright, El, quick eat your breakfast and get ready," said Peeta, who rolled his eyes. I sat down and poured some tea, and got myself a piece of toast.

"Mom, will you take me out to shoot again tonight?" asked Ellie, eyes brightening with excitement. I didn't really want her to learn, but she was just so intent on learning from me. Having her know how just made me nervous thinking if she had to use those skills to defend herself. She was 15 now, almost 16 in a week, and Finn was only 7. I couldn't bear the thoughts on them having to defend themselves from anyone.

"I don't know, El, I'll have to see. It also depends if you can get your homework done in time before sundown." I smiled, but Ellie huffed.

"I seriously hate homework. It's like cruel and unusual torture." She muttered into her eggs.

"There are worse things than homework, Eleanor, now finish your breakfast and get your butt in gear!" called Peeta, who was pulling out their lunches.

"Ugh, fine!" exclaimed Ellie, stuffing the rest of her eggs in her mouth and running back upstairs.

I laughed, "Sometimes, I think she's too much like you."

"Oh really?" countered Peeta, "because everyone says she's a spitting image of her mother."

"Well, I guess Finn is a bit more like you." I turned and smiled, "speaking of, why would you keep him in the shop knowing he had homework to finish?"

"He just wanted to help, so I let him stay a little later to help finish the batch of bread we started," he defended. I wrapped my arms around his neck and gave him a kiss, and he smiled.

Just then we heard footsteps thundering down the stairs, and our two children burst into the doorway.

"We're late we have to go!" called out Ellie, in her skinny jeans and loose shirt, wearing my old leather boots I gave her. Finn wore a blue shirt and khakis.

"Alright, come home right away!" called Peeta, wrapping his arm around my waist.

"Be safe!" I called, as they were running down the dirt road and past the medicine factory.

Over the next few hours, I cleaned the house and got out to hunt, bringing back 2 rabbits and 4 squirrels. After selling them to the new butcher, I made my way back home, to see Peeta mixing a pot of stew.

"Oh, hey, what are you doing home?" I asked, putting my bow, hunting bag, and jacket in their usual place in the closet.

"Just came to get a jumpstart on dinner, can you stir this every hour?" he asked.

"Yeah sure, did you close the bakery?"

"No, just left Ethan in charge for a minute while I ran back," he said, walking over and grabbing my hands.

"Alright, well I'll see you later," I sighed, wrapping my arms around his waist.

"Will do," he said kissing my forehead. There was a knock at the door, I went to get it and Peeta walked with me so he could leave.

I opened the door to see Gale standing on my doorstep, like he never left.

"Hey, Catnip."

***Okay guys, give me feedback! Review and favorite for me! BTW don't worry, there's no Katniss-Peeta-Gale love triangle in all this, like there is sometimes.***


	2. Chapter 2

***Thanks for the reviews, and all the love. Spread the word! Updates may be spaced out, I don't get much time on the computer anymore Review and favorite! Suzanne Collin owns the Hunger Games***

**Chapter 2: Second Chances**

Gale stepped into the house, and Peeta and I backed up. He looked really different, especially the wedding ring he twirled around his finger. His hair was now cropped short, some of it threatened to fall in his face, and some hair was gray. He had lines of his face, and he looked tired but happy, but at the moment he looked at me in sadness.

I didn't know how I felt about Gale, but I did know I didn't love him anymore. That bomb he engineered killed my Prim, and we never even talked about it in length. I couldn't stay mad at him, because he didn't drop the bomb itself, but seeing him made my heart ache because of Prim.

"Come sit down, Gale," said Peeta, who eyed him suspiciously. All 3 of us sat down in the living room by the fireplace, Peeta holding fast to my hand. I'm pretty sure if he wasn't there, I would've crumbled. Feeling his warmth and security was a comfort to me, and always will be.

"As you can tell, I'm back in District 12," started Gale, looking down at his calloused hands, "There was an accident where I worked, and Delly thought I needed a break."

"You married Delly?" asked Peeta, leaning forwards.

"Yeah, she was in District 2 looking for a new place to settle down, and we met each other there. It was great seeing a familiar face, and we grew together. Years later we got engaged, married, and had our first son Elijah, who's 16. He just turned 16 last month, she's also pregnant with our new daughter, we want to name her either Lily or Brianna. Anyway, Delly thought coming home was a great way for me to recover after what happened.." he trailed off, staring at his hands again, with a troubled expression.

"What happened, Gale?" asked Peeta quietly.

"There was an accidental explosion during one of our meetings, there was a gas leak and someone lit a match to light a stove, and dozens of great soldiers died…" he trailed off, putting his face in his hands.

Peeta, letting go of my hand, leaned forwards and patted his shoulder, "I'm so sorry."

"Thanks, anyway, Katniss I know what I did during the rebellion was…unforgivable, but I can't stay here if you won't be comfortable with it, regarding Prim.." his voice cracked on her name.

I looked at my now empty hands, which were shaking. I'd been pushing these thoughts out of my brain for years and years, but I knew it was time to face them. I learned the hard way to stop pushing my thoughts to the back of my mind. I took a breath, "Gale, I don't mind having you here. I don't approve of what happened years ago, but that was years ago. We can't change what happened; because what happened, happened, "Peeta took my hand again why I took another shaky breath, "In fact, I'm glad you're home. We can't go back to what we were before because of obvious reasons, but I'm glad your back. In fact, come over for dinner tonight, with your family, a welcome home dinner in a way." I said, looking up and smiling.

Gale smiled too, and let himself out, graciously accepting the invitation. When he left, I was still slightly shaking. Peeta took me in his arms and let me breathe, helping me calm down. Then I got started on our dinner.

Ellie's POV: 

Finn and I got to school just in time, running to our rooms. They day went by slowly, like every day. I usually draw on my papers, or stare out the window dreaming about shooting like mom. Finn was lucky because he got her voice, so I really wanted to learn to shoot like her. I loved the feeling of the smooth bow, and the ability to bend nature around me for food or just target practice. I kinda felt like the bow was an extension of me, just like mom explained.

I would never say it out loud out of embarrassment, but I was really proud that mom and dad were my mom and dad. They were heroes, and saved the whole country and everyone in it. Dad used to tell me stories about him and mom, but he often stopped to swallow or stare off. It looked like it pained him to talk about it. Mom never talked, but I was okay with that because I knew Aunt Prim died in the rebellion. Just last year, mom started to talk about Aunt Prim, she sounded amazing. I saw the paintings dad made too, and they were amazing also. There were a dozen different reasons why I was proud of my mom and dad, but most of all I was happy they made it through.

As I stared off into space thinking about this, a new kid came in through the back door. "And you are..?" asked Mrs. Klepton, the history teacher. Everyone turned to look at him.

"Elijah Hawthorne," he said, pulling a half smile. He was gorgeous, don't call me a sappy teenager, but he was. With sparkly gray and bright blue smattered eyes, and dark brown hair that ever so lightly fell into his face, and was slightly cropped. He was simply wearing worn out jeans and a light red t-shirt, and worn leather boots, like me. His eyes immediately locked on mine, and I swear I was frozen on the spot by his icey blue smattered gray eyes. He pulled a bigger smile, and I blushed and turned to the front.

Two seconds later, I had a heart attack realizing his last name. Hawthorne. Elijah Hawthorne. Gale Hawthorne. Mom's best friend's back. I heard stories about Gale, and dad said he was a great guy who had some messed up turns he had to make before he made the right one. I still respected what he did, some of what he did, for the rebellion too.

"Oh, alright, well Ellie has a spot open next to her, so you can sit there." Finished Mrs. Klepton, smiling coldly. Let's just say, she wasn't a bottle of sunshine herself.

Another thing, why me? There were 3 other open tables, with one person, why not Lucy? Or Willow? Or Birch? Just my luck. I had a feeling my tongue is going to trip over itself if he tries to talk to me. Luckily, this is the last class of my day, so I can bolt out.

Elijah slid next to me, smiling, "Hey, my name's Elijah, you're Ellie?" he asked, showing perfect, white teeth.

"Yeah I'm Ellie, Ellie Mellark." I smiled.

"Mellark, like Katniss and Peeta Mellark?" he asked, backing up a little and raising his eyebrows.

"Yeah, and your Gale Hawthorne's son, right?" I asked, trying to hold back my self-cut bangs.

"Yeah, we just got here this morning. I was practically shipped here in a box by my mom," he laughed.

I laughed too, "Better than me, I was late. Had to run all the way here, ripped my boot." I said, pulling out my fake pouty lip.

"Hey! Someone else here has leather boots!" he exclaimed, quietly because class was going on.

I laughed really hard, "Yeah, totally! Boot buddies." Just then the bell rang, and every sprang up and ran out the door.

Finn said he had to stay behind because he didn't turn in his homework soon enough and had to stay an extra hour, and that I shouldn't wait up. I took my usual route home, right past the sunny meadows, just skirting the woods. I breathed in the fresh air, and set down my bag, letting my hair fall free and my face shine to the sun. I heard footsteps behind me, and turned to see Elijah, staring at me.

"Oh goodness, did you see that?" I asked, smoothing my hair. He smiled warmly, and crossed his arms.

"So what if I did, El. What's it to you?" he smirked, laughing.

I laughed, "Who said you can call me El?" I asked.

He looked guilty, "Oh sorry, if you don't like that.."

"No, it's fine, _Eli_. Don't worry about it." I emphasized Eli, crossing my own arms.

"Alright, I can deal with that, Boot Buddy."

"Then we have an agreement," I said, picking up my bag and walking over, shaking his hand. It was smooth, calloused for some reason, and strong. He smiled down at me, because my head only came up to his chin.

"Want to come over, I can explain to you all about District 12, the fun side," I said, winking over-dramatically.

"I'd love to, just as long as I'm home for dinner," he said shouldering his bag and standing at my side.

From there we just walked, talking to each other about everything. His favorite color was sky blue, and he loved snares and traps just like his dad. He wasn't very good at archery, and was excited to have a sister. He actually loved rain, and was really good with jewelry from what he learned at District 2. I told him all about me too, which was a first. I wasn't shy or anything, but I didn't' like telling everyone everything. I'm not all 'no I'm too cool to talk to you' but I don't like revealing all my secrets to people, it made me feel too exposed.

"Mom, Dad, I'm home. Finn had to stay late because he didn't do his homework, but he'll be home soon!" I called. I stopped yelling when I saw there were 2 people on my couch, 2 people I didn't know.

My mom smiled at me, "El, honey, this is your Uncle Gale, and Aunt Delly." She said, gesturing to the man and woman on the chairs.

Uncle Gale looked surprised, "Hey, Elijah, what are you doing here?"

Elijah just looked at me, dumbstruck. I just smiled and helped with dinner.

***Sorry for the long chapter, but I had to get all that in I haven't had any time for the computer, which makes me sad but I'll try! Review and favorite!***


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